Cal Film Festival is a LA-based international event for short films and scripts, welcoming projects from all genres, fictional or non fictional, linear or nonlinear, including non-English speaking, low or no-budget productions, and works from traditionally underrepresented countries in global film industry.

Operating as a curated online festival with a rigorous and fair selection threshold, the festival functions as a barometer of a project’s competitiveness on the international festival circuit. By focusing on editorial coverage and jury recognition rather than screenings, it preserves the premiere status of participating projects while offering meaningful visibility through published reviews of top narrative shorts and quarterly jury picks.

Focused on diversity and inclusion, Cal Film Festival is proud of having among its previous winners Academy Award nominees Abigail Breslin and Paul Raci, BAFTA Award nominees Bella Ramsey and Logan Marshall Green, Primetime Emmy award nominee Brendan Scannell, Daytime Emmy Award nominee Bret Green, Screen Actors Guild Awards nominee Vinny O'Brien, and member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Arthur Roberts, to name a few.

No extra fees to have your film considered for technical & performance awards. Just submit to the main (genre) categories that you feel your project fits better.

Awards & Prizes

A Los Angeles-based team with diverse international backgrounds and a strong understanding of global independent production reviews all submissions, evaluating the quality and creativity of each project using a performance-based assessment scale.

The highest-rated entries are nominated for awards in their respective categories. In addition to the main award in each category, the jury may grant Outstanding Achievement Awards (special recognition) and Honorable Mentions.
For each quarter, the festival may also present special technical and performance awards, such as Best Director, Best Actor, Best Cinematography, and related categories.

Any category in which no submission reaches the established minimum score threshold remains unawarded and is therefore omitted from the nominations and awards lists.

All projects officially selected in each quarter receive the official festival laurel and a custom Certificate of Achievement corresponding to their final status in the competition.

Editorial Recognition & Jury Feedback
Within the awards structure, top narrative shorts and quarterly jury picks receive published editorial reviews, offering filmmakers curated visibility and critical context.

In parallel, all submitted scripts benefit from jury feedback, ensuring each project receives a considered evaluation.

Rules & Terms

All films should have a maximum length of 60 minutes and must include English subtitles (unless the spoken language is English).

All screenplays should have a maximum of 60 pages and be presented in English.

AI-Use Disclosure Requirement
AI-assisted projects are welcome.
However, any project that used Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools at any stage of creation — including writing, image generation, animation, sound design, or editing — must include a brief AI-Use Disclosure in the cover letter or project description, specifying the tools used and the extent of their use. Failure to disclose AI-assisted content, when applicable, may result in ineligibility.

By submitting the film or the screenplay, the submitter agrees that:
1. Cal Film Festival can use trailer/teaser/film poster/stills or BTS for promotional purpose (but do not release, under any form or circumstances, the full film)
2. Entry fees are non-refundable.
3. The submitter owns all the rights to the film or screenplay.
4. Submission cannot be withdrawn after the announcement of the official selection.

For student fee, it is mandatory the student status evidence (e.g. copy of student card).

The projects that do not follow the rules & terms above can be automatically disqualified at the sole discretion of Cal Film Festival.

Disclaimer:
Cal Film Festival does not disclose any kind of information with third parties.

Important Notice: The submitter owns all the rights to the film or screenplay, meaning that the submitted work (i) does not violate or infringe any copyright, patent, privacy right, publicity right, trademark, service mark or any other personal or property right of any person or entity, that (ii) does not constitute or include a defamation of any person or entity, and that (iii) its representatives have paid and will pay in full all license fees, clearance fees, and other obligations, of any kind, arising from or associated with the exhibition of the Film at or in connection with the Festival. Also, that the submitter is duly authorized, on his own behalf and on behalf of all other persons or entities who have any ownership rights or interests (including, without limitation, intellectual property rights) in or relating to the film, to exhibit the film at the Festival.

Cal Film Festival 2023-2026 © All Rights Reserved
78 Reviews
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  • William Mariano

    While unforeseen circumstances delayed the final results, I am incredibly pleased with them. Thank you for awarding my script, World Without Bargains, top prize. Your insightful review was well done and appreciated.

    June 2026
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  • Gregory Paul

    I am so honored that "I love You Tammy Cunningham" was selected for Cal Film Festival. Thank you!

    June 2026
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  • Michael Gillette

    Thrilled and honored for my film, Ordinary Greatness, to be selected!

    June 2026
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  • Henry Gonzalez Burgos

    A great honor having my Film in this Festival

    June 2026
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  • Diana Shield

    Thank for selecting my short film Herminia.

    March 2026
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